He rang the bell and was admitted by Mary, who wondered how many more times she would be obliged to run to the door that morning.

“Is Miss—­Miss Richards through with her packing?” the young man inquired, but having almost betrayed Mona’s identity, which, in accordance with the advice of the lawyers, they were not quite ready to do yet.

“She’s still up stairs, sir,” the girl replied.  “I’ll step up and tell her that you have come.  Perhaps you’ll wait in the reception-room, sir, as Mrs. Montague has just come in and has callers in the drawing-room.”

“Certainly,” Ray answered, and was about to follow her thither, when he heard his name spoken, and turning, saw Mr. Graves beckoning to him from the doorway of the drawing-room.

“Come in here,” he said; “we shall need you in this business,” and Ray knew that Mrs. Montague was about to be interviewed upon various matters of importance.

“Very well,” he replied, then turning to Mary, he added:  “You may tell Miss Richards that she need not hurry.  I will call you again when I am ready to go.”

He then followed the lawyer into the drawing-room and the door was shut.

“There is something queer going on in there,” she muttered.  “Mrs. Montague seemed all worked up over something, and those two men looked as glum as parsons at a funeral.  There is cook’s bell again, and Miss Ruth must wait,” she concluded, impatiently, as a ring came up from the lower regions, and then she went slowly and reluctantly down stairs again.

CHAPTER XVIII.

SOME INTERESTING DISCOVERIES.

Upon entering Mrs. Montague’s beautiful drawing-room, Ray found, as he had expected, that Mr. Corbin was there also, and he at once surmised the nature of the lawyer’s business.

Mrs. Montague gave a start of surprise as she saw him, and lost some of her color; then recovering herself, she arose with a charming smile, and went forward to greet him.

Ray thought she looked much older than when he had seen her before, for there were dark circles under her eyes, with crows’ feet at their corners, and wrinkles on her forehead and about her mouth, which he had never noticed until then, and which, somehow, seemed to change the expression of her whole face.

“This is an unexpected pleasure,” she remarked, with great cordiality, “but you perceive,” with a glance at the lawyers, “that I am overrun with business.  May I ask you to step into the library for a few moments until I am at liberty?”

“No, if you please, madame, it is at my request that Mr. Palmer is here,” quietly but decidedly interposed Mr. Graves.

Mrs. Montague flushed hotly at this interference, then seeing that she could not change the condition of affairs, and that Ray evidently understood matters, as he only bowed in the most frigid manner in response to her effusive greeting, she resigned herself to the inevitable and returned to her chair with an air of haughty defiance.